Apparaturs and Method for Supporting Headstones

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for supporting headstones, including a rigid structure situated below the surface of the ground, and a plurality of sockets formed in the top of the rigid structure, wherein each of the sockets is formed to receive the lower end of a headstone and hold the headstones in an aligned position with respect to one another and with respect to the surface of the ground.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to systems for positioning headstones in conditions in which the headstones are susceptible to movement over time.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Once headstones are set into the ground, they may shift, sink, and settle over time, thereby losing their orientation with respect to the ground and to surrounding headstones. Such movement, widely acknowledged as undesirable, arises from a variety of causes. Often, the headstone is placed in soil that has been filled into the gravesite. This soil is generally looser than the ground around it and over time it settles and erodes. Further, in instances in which a coffin is placed directly in the gravesite without a burial vault, the coffin itself is subject to deterioration. This causes the soil on top of and around the coffin to displace, thereby relieving support from around and beneath the headstone. Additionally, in nearly all parts of the U.S. there exists some depth in the ground above which the groundwater in the soil freezes and thaws. The soil above this “frost line” expands and contracts cyclically along with the freezing and thawing of the groundwater, causing the contours of the proximate ground—and headstones therein—to move. Forces from above the ground, too, can cause the movement of the ground and corresponding shifting of headstones. Heavy machinery required in the excavating of nearby gravesites can transmit enough vibration and force into the ground to cause shifting in the position of nearby headstones. Even smaller machinery and tools, when collided with headstones, for example, can provide sufficient impact to cause unwanted shifting and movement.

Accordingly, attempts have been made to provide new designs for headstones or supports therefore that would overcome these problems. Among these are those set forth in the following U.S. Patents: U.S. Pat. No. 734,770 to Stewart; U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,963 to Bergmann; U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,547 to Hood; U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,294 to Bosico et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,363 to Moskowitz; U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,425 to Merkel; U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,537 to Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,472 to Svensson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,436 to Nota; U.S. Pat. No. 7,144,201 to DeArmond; U.S. Pat. No. 7,637,061 to Murphy et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 8,429,859 to Dickenson, et al.

In spite of these improvements, however, certain limitations or deficiencies still exist. In general, each of these systems fails to provide for the alignment of several headstones to one another. Thus, not only would the alignment or re-alignment of a row, for example, require the excavation and application of the system for each headstone individually, the result would be a row of independently-fixed headstones which would lose their orientation with respect to one another over time. Thus the existing systems would require greater effort and cost yielding lesser results than the present system. The shortcomings of certain existing systems bear particular mention.

Dickenson, for example, is entirely limited to unusual instances in which the headstone is not set overtop of the casket or burial vault. Further, Dickenson is limited to single headstones. Thus, when multiple headstones in a row or newly laid or being raised and realigned together, Dickenson requires the separate excavation of each hole to accept each support.

In Murphy, each caisson supporting a single headstone must rest on two plinths. These plinths straddle the casket or burial vault to which the headstone corresponds. Where caissons are laid side by side, they share the plinth between them. Thus, where the distance between the caskets or vaults varies, each caisson must be a different length. Furthermore, would Murphy be used to recondition or raise and realign existing headstones, the excavation process must be done very carefully and precisely, digging down to the level of the bottom of the casket on each side of the casket. Thus, the excavation process would be time consuming and expensive, and presents the increased possibility of damaging the existing casket or vault. Furthermore, each plinth in Murphy is freestanding, but potentially shared by two caissons. Thus, if any plinth sustains damage, repairing or replacing the single plinth would require the disturbing of two caissons, and hence, two headstones.

Notably, in addition to their other shortcomings, no existing system permits a row of headstones to be supported and aligned with respect to one another. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved systems that address the mentioned deficiencies in structures for stably supporting and aligning headstones. The present invention provides solutions to these and other limitations of the devices known in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one preferred embodiment, the present invention provides an apparatus for supporting headstones, comprising: (i) a rigid structure situated below the surface of the ground; and (ii) a plurality of sockets formed in the top of the rigid structure, wherein each of the sockets is formed to receive the lower end of a headstone and hold the headstones in an aligned position with respect to one another and with respect to the surface of the ground.

Preferably, a plurality of blocks are situated below the surface of the ground with a socket formed in the top of each block, thereby holding the headstones in an aligned position with respect to one another and with respect to the surface of the ground.

The present invention addresses the foregoing concerns by providing a rigid support structure for headstones that is situated in a trench below the surface of the ground. The structure has sockets formed in its top surface that are shaped so that the lower end of a headstone fits within each socket. Preferably, the sockets are formed in prefabricated blocks which are encapsulated in the rigid structure. The sockets, and hence the headstones held therein, are thereby affixed to one another and held in alignment to each other. Also preferably, a gap between the socket walls and the lower end of the headstone is filled with a leveling material. This allows for a precise fit between the socket and the headstone and also allows for fine adjustment of the orientation of each headstone. Also preferably, the structure sits atop a base material that fills the entire length and width of the trench, but the structure has one or more columns that protrude through the base material and approximately 4′ into the ground below the trench floor.

The present invention also provides a method for fabricating the described support structure in situ. A trench is dug at a preferred depth of approximately 27″ and preferred width of approximately 18″ encompassing a row of one or more headstones to be supported. Preferably, one or more holes of approximately 8″ in diameter are drilled in the floor of the trench to approximately 4′ below the floor of the trench. A base material, preferably gravel, is installed about the entire length and width of the trench to a preferred depth of approximately 4″ ensuring that no base material enters or obstructs the approximately 8″-diameter holes. Prefabricated blocks with sockets as described above are placed on top of the base material, with each block's socket corresponding to the desired location and alignment of the headstones. The blocks are then held in alignment to one another by affixing rebar between the blocks. The blocks are then rigidly fixed to each other, to the trench, and to the surface of the ground, preferably by encapsulating them in poured concrete. The poured concrete also flows into the approximately 8″-diameter holes, thereby creating columns extending approximately 4′ into the ground below the trench. A headstone is then placed into each socket, and soil is backfilled into the trench. Preferably, any gap between the socket walls and the lower end of the headstone is filled with a leveling material before any soil is backfilled. It is to be understood that the dimensions recited above and herein are merely exemplary and that the present invention is not limited to these dimensions.

The resulting structure, and that defined above, is highly resistant to settling or shifting, in part because it does not rest on backfill and it is supported by elements below the frost line. Each headstone is likewise resistant to such shifting or settling, as its location, depth, and orientation are fixed by the structure, rather than by soil.

Further advantage is shown where a row of several headstones are to be supported at once. This keeps all of the headstones in the row in alignment with one another. As a result of being affixed to the same rigid structure, headstones do not move with respect to one another. The supporting of headstones with respect to one another in this manner has the distinct advantage over all individual-headstone systems. Specifically, whatever disruptive effects operate on any one headstone are shared by all the headstones in the row. Hence if localized frost swell—to the degree it has any affect whatsoever—operates to push up on the center of rigid structure, for example, this force would be distributed over the entire length of the rigid structure. This produces several advantageous effects.

First, because of the increased size of the rigid structure as compared to individual-headstone support systems, the present rigid structure better resists any localized outside forces. This would be true with respect to isolated ground swell, localized vibration from nearby heavy equipment, settling or erosion of the ground beneath one area of the structure, etc.

Second, to whatever extent such forces cause minimal movement of the rigid structure, the resulting shift in the headstones is uniform. Thus if the rigid structure is elevated by two inches, all of the headstones are elevated by two inches, maintaining uniformity. Even if only one side of the rigid structure is elevated by two inches, the headstones would lift at a uniform angle (i.e. from around 2 inches at the one end, to nearly no lift at all at the far end, with all headstones in between lifting a proportional amount). There would not be a high headstone in one location, a tilted one in another, a low one in another location, etc. Accordingly, in an environment in which uniformity of headstones is a chief concern, the benefits of uniform motion of an entire row at once, if there be any motion at all, should be immediately recognized.

Third, because the rigid structure spans several caskets or burial vaults, where deterioration of any single (or even multiple) casket or vault causes the soil above and around it to collapse, the rigid structure is well-supported along other spans of its length. This bears an obvious advantage where the rigid structure is used to recondition headstones associated with older burials.

The present invention allows for the quick, inexpensive, and very uniform support and alignment of such headstones. The National Cemeteries provide a ready example of the need to precisely and permanently locate, orient, and align (or relocate, reorient, and realign) large numbers of headstones in fixed rows.

The present invention also provides for a method of setting and leveling headstones in which a leveling material is used in lieu of the rigid structure. In this embodiment, a trench is dug for one or more headstones as in the previously-described embodiments. A base material is then infilled along the entire length and width of the trench, followed by a leveling material, also along the entire length and width of the trench. Each headstone is then placed directly in the leveling material, such that the lower end of the headstone is encapsulated by the leveling material. The headstones are then leveled to the desired position and orientation and soil is backfilled.

The invention is described herein for use in primarily as raising and realigning existing headstones that have lost their original or intended placement, orientation, or alignment. It is contemplated, however, that the invention can be used on new installations of headstones.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that this summary is provided as a means of generally determining what follows in the drawings and detailed description of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Moreover, the objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a rigid structure embodying the present invention, the structure being shown in use in a trench beneath the ground.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a portion of a preferred embodiment of a rigid structure embodying the present invention showing sockets formed within prefabricated blocks.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of a preferred embodiment of a rigid structure embodying the present invention, the structure being shown in use in a trench beneath the ground.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a row of headstones describing roll, pitch, and yaw motion.

FIG. 5 is a method of fabricating a headstone support system, according to the invention.

FIGS. 6 a & 6 b are a front elevation view and a top plan view of a trench and features thereof relative to headstones (shown in phantom) dug for a rigid structure (not shown).

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of a preferred method of fabricating a headstone support system, showing ties affixing the blocks thereof.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of a headstone support system embodying the present invention in which leveling material replaces the rigid structure, the system being shown in use in a trench beneath the ground.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention provides an apparatus 10 for supporting headstones 20. FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of this invention, formed from a rigid structure 11 for installation below the surface of the ground 30 in a trench 40 which has been excavated from ground 30 to accommodate one or more headstones 20. In one embodiment, rigid structure 11 is made of cast concrete, although any other material with sufficient structural strength that will not decompose when buried is contemplated. Caskets 32 are shown below each headstone 20, and soil 34 is shown on top of rigid structure 11. Though caskets 32 are shown, the present invention also contemplates burial vaults and other vessels known in the art for underground burial. Similarly, though soil 34 is described, this can be top soil, excavated soil, or any similar suitable material known in the art or specified by the cemetery.

As seen in FIG. 1, rigid structure 11 is laid on top of a base material 50, such as gravel, although any other filler material that provides comparable or greater weight, anchor, and ballast is contemplated. Base material 50 is infilled to a certain depth 51 along the entire length and width of the trench 40.

Also illustrated in FIG. 1, an embodiment of rigid structure 11 has sockets 12 formed in it, each socket 12 being formed to receive the lower end 21 of a headstone 20. This embodiment of rigid structure 11 includes sockets 12 for several headstones 20 laid out in a row 22 thereby dictating that the overall length of rigid structure 10 be anywhere from several feet to hundreds of feet. It is also claimed and contemplated, however, that rigid structure 11 have only a single socket 12 and be used with a single headstone 20.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, sockets 12 are formed within prefabricated blocks 14, blocks 14 being encapsulated into the rigid structure 11. In a preferred embodiment, blocks 14 are formed from cast concrete, although any other material with sufficient structural strength that will not decompose when buried is contemplated. In one embodiment, blocks 14 are encapsulated into rigid structure 11 by the forming of rigid structure 11 around blocks 14. In a preferred embodiment, rigid structure 11 is formed by pouring concrete throughout the length and width of trench 40 and around blocks 14, although any other material with sufficient structural strength that will not decompose when buried is contemplated.

In one embodiment, as illustrated especially in FIG. 2, a gap 60 exists between the walls 16 of socket 12 and the lower end 21 of each headstone 20. Gap 60 is preferably filled with a leveling material 90 with properties of compacting well when wet. This serves to help stabilize the position and orientation of headstone 20. In one embodiment, leveling material 90 is sand, although any other filler material that provides comparable or greater compacting and drainage is contemplated.

An embodiment of rigid structure 11, as shown in FIG. 2, includes optional drains 17 at the lower surface of the sockets 12. In a preferred embodiment, drain 17 comprises one or more holes in the bottom socket wall 16, the holes passing through the lower surface of block 14 and the rigid structure 11. Drains 17 allow for any water or moisture that enters gap 60 to flow out and not accumulate therein. The elimination of accumulated water in gap 60 minimizes erosion of headstone 20 and socket 12 that would otherwise be hastened in sitting water. Further, where a leveling material 90 is used, drain 17 prevents standing water from degrading leveling material 90 with a corresponding loss in its setting of headstone 20.

A further optional feature of the invention is shown in FIG. 3. One or more holes 41 are dug or otherwise formed into the trench floor 42 to receive columns 15 protruding from the bottom surface of rigid structure 11. As illustrated in FIG. 3, columns 15 extend into ground 30 below trench floor 42 and beyond the maximum expected depth 36 of the frost line 38. In a preferred embodiment, columns 15 are unitary with rigid structure 11, formed along with rigid structure 11 from poured concrete. In another embodiment, columns 15 are unitary with rigid structure 11, formed along with rigid structure 11 from cast concrete, although any other material with sufficient structural strength that will not decompose when buried is contemplated. It is also contemplated that columns 15 may be separate elements, such as pipes or poles or any other suitable structure, affixed to rigid structure 11 in any way.

The presence of columns 15 serves to further anchor rigid structure 11 into a portion of ground 30 that is less susceptible to motion than ground 30 above casket 32. This provides great resistance to roll 70 of rigid structure 11 and consequently headstones 20, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, localized forces—whether above or within ground 30—acting in a way that would otherwise cause headstone 20 or entire row 22 of headstones 20 to tip over are resisted. Similarly, columns 15 operate to prevent unwanted yaw 72 or pitch 74 of headstone 20 or row 22, as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 shows a process 100 that includes the steps for fabricating and installing an apparatus 10 for supporting headstones 20 in the ground 30. Starting at step 102, process 100 includes surveying the location of a trench 40 to be dug, detailed in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b.

In the context of supporting and realigning existing headstones 20, this step would include the marking off of the length 43 and width 44 of trench 40 based on the locations of the existing headstones 20. This could also involve removing headstones 20 from ground 30.

FIGS. 6 a and 6 b illustrate trench 40 relative to the position of headstones 20 before fabrication of rigid structure 11. In situations where headstones 20 are in highly regular row 22 and are of uniform dimensions such as is found in the National Cemeteries, the width 44 of trench 40 is located by measuring the same offset 80 from the front face 23 and rear face 24 of a headstone 20, as shown in FIG. 6 a. In an exemplary embodiment in which the headstones 20 have a thickness 25 of approximately 4″, the offset 80 is approximately 7″, creating trench 40 with approximate width 44 of 18″ (approximately 7″ offset 80 from the front face 23 +4″ of headstone thickness 25 +approximately 7″ offset 80 from the rear face 24).

Also shown in FIG. 6 a, the length 43 of trench 40 is determined by the placement and number of headstones 20 to be supported. The ends 48 of trench 40 are determined based on the locations of the outside edges 26 of the farthest outside headstones 27, In one embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the end 48 of trench 40 is dug beginning approximately 12″-16″ from the outside edges 26 of both farthest outside headstones 27.

According to the excavation 102 above, trench T is dug in step 104. In a preferred embodiment, the depth 46 of trench 40 is approximately 27″.

In step 106, holes 41 are drilled in the trench floor 42. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 b, holes 41 have diameter 49 of approximately 8″, a depth 47 below the trench floor 42, and are spaced approximately every 55′-70′ and between the final position of the headstones 20.

As shown in FIG. 100, step 108 consists of infilling a base material 50 into the entire area of trench T, to a certain depth 51, as also shown in FIG. 3. Care is taken, however, that base material 50 does not enter or otherwise obscure or block holes 41, which were drilled in step 106. As part of step 108, base material 50 is tamped for compaction. In an embodiment, base material 50 is gravel, although any other filler material that provides comparable or greater weight, anchor, and ballast is contemplated.

Step 110 consists of placing prefabricated blocks 14 on top of the base material 50, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Each prefabricated block 14 has a socket 12 formed in it, socket 12 being formed and located to receive the lower end 21 of headstone 20. Blocks 14 are located such that sockets 12 will locate headstones 20 in the desired location and position. In a preferred embodiment, blocks 14 are formed from cast concrete, although any other material with sufficient structural strength that will not decompose when buried is contemplated.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, blocks 14 are then rigidly held in alignment and position according to step 112. In this embodiment, individual blocks 14 are secured to one another using ties 18. In a preferred embodiment, ties 18 are made of traditional steel rebar, although any other material that provides comparable or more desirable strength and rigidity is contemplated, including fiber-reinforced products. Ties 18 are held in place in relation to blocks 14 using a chair instrument as is commonly known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Again, however, any comparable method of securing the ties 18 to blocks 14 is contemplated. Further, while each tie 18 is shown spanning the entire length of the row of blocks 14, use of several shorter ties 18 linking blocks 14 fixedly together is also contemplated.

Once blocks 14 are rigidly fixed in the desired location, alignment, and orientation, they are encapsulated in step 114. In a preferred embodiment, this is achieved by pouring concrete to a certain depth 19 throughout the entire trench 40, encapsulating and fixing the blocks 14, also as shown in FIG. 3. In an embodiment, pouring the concrete to encapsulate the blocks 14 also fills holes 41 that were dug into the trench floor 42 at step 106 and as illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 100 next shows step 116, which consists of placing lower ends 21 of headstones 20 in sockets 12 of blocks 14. In an embodiment, before headstones 20 are placed in sockets 12, a leveling material 90 is placed inside each socket 12, as illustrated in FIG. 2. An amount of leveling material 90 is added until the top of headstone 20 when placed thereon reaches the desired height 28 above the surface of ground 30, as shown in FIG. 7.

In a preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a gap 60 exists between lower end 21 of headstones 20 and walls 16 of sockets 12. In step 118, leveling material 90 is added to fill gap 60. In one embodiment, leveling material 90 is sand, although any other filler material that provides comparable or greater compacting and drainage is contemplated. Headstones 20 are then adjusted and fine tuned to their desired positions. Leveling material 90 is tamped for compaction, setting headstones 20 to their positions.

According to step 120, after all headstones 20 are set to the desired location, alignment, and orientation, soil 34 is backfilled into remaining trench 40 on top of rigid structure 11 (and where present, blocks 14). The backfilled soil 34 is then tamped for compaction and renovated with sod or seeded for grass, as required by the cemetery.

Process 100 contemplates performing the above steps in any order that accomplishes the fabricating and installing the described apparatus 10 for supporting headstones 20 in ground 30. For example, leveling material 90 and headstones 20 may be introduced into sockets 12 immediately after step 110. The positions of headstones 20 may be then fine tuned and adjusted after step 114.

As shown in FIG. 8, a further embodiment uses leveling material 90 in lieu of rigid structure 11. In this embodiment, trench 40 is dug for one or more headstones 20 as in the previously-described embodiments. A base material 50 is then infilled along the entire length 43 and width 44 of the trench 40 and compacted by tamping. A leveling material 90 is next infilled along the entire length 43 and width 44 of trench 40. Each headstone 20 is then placed directly in leveling material 90, such that lower end 21 of headstone 20 is encapsulated by leveling material 90. Headstones 20 are then leveled to the desired position and orientation and leveling material 90 is tamped for compaction to firmly hold each headstone 20. Soil 34 is then backfilled into the remaining trench 40.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing and incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for supporting headstones, comprising: a rigid structure situated below the surface of the ground; and a plurality of sockets formed in the top of the rigid structure, wherein each of the sockets is formed to receive the lower end of a headstone and hold the headstones in an aligned position with respect to one another and with respect to the surface of the ground.
 2. An apparatus for supporting headstones, comprising: a plurality of blocks situated below the surface of the ground, wherein each block is held in a fixed alignment with respect to one another and with respect to the surface of the ground; and a socket formed in the top of each block, each of the sockets being formed to receive the lower end of one of the headstones and holding the headstones in an aligned position with respect to one another and with respect to the surface of the ground.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the blocks are permanently encased in a rigid structure and are thereby affixed and aligned to one another, wherein an upper surface of the rigid structure is lower than the upper surface of the block.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the block is formed from cast concrete.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the rigid structure is formed from poured concrete.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the socket is larger than a headstone received therein creating a gap between the headstone and the socket and wherein the gap is filled with a leveling material.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the leveling material is sand.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rigid structure includes one or more columns extending from the bottom of the rigid structure into the ground.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the socket includes a drain.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the drain comprises one or more holes in the bottom of the socket, the holes passing through the lower surface of the rigid structure and the block.
 11. An apparatus for supporting a headstone comprising a rigid structure situated below the surface of the ground with a socket formed in the top of the rigid structure wherein the socket is formed to receive the lower end of the headstone and hold the headstone in an aligned position with respect to the surface of the ground.
 12. A method for fabricating an apparatus for supporting headstones comprising the steps of: digging a trench; installing a base material along the length and width of the trench; placing blocks on top of the base material, wherein a socket is formed in the top of each block, each socket being formed to receive the lower end of a headstone, the upper surface of the blocks being below the surface of the ground; aligning the blocks at a desired location for the placement of headstone and rigidly fixing the location of each block relative to each other, and to the trench, and to the surface of the ground; placing a headstone in each socket; and backfilling soil in the trench thereby covering the blocks and rigid structure
 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the socket is larger than a headstone received therein creating a gap between the headstone and the socket, further comprising the step of: filling the gap with a leveling material.
 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the leveling material is sand.
 15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the aligning and rigidly fixing the location of each block comprises encasing the blocks in a rigid material.
 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the encasing consists of pouring a continuous concrete structure around the blocks filling the trench such that the upper surface of the poured concrete structure is lower than the upper surface of the blocks.
 17. The method according to claim 12, wherein holes for one or more columns are drilled in the trench floor before installing a base material, and wherein the encasing material fills the holes and thereby forms columns extending downwardly from trench floor into the ground beneath.
 18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the aligning of the blocks to one another comprises the steps of affixing rebar between the blocks.
 19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the base material is gravel.
 20. The method according to claim 12 wherein the headstones have similar dimensions, and are laid out in a straight line, and are spaced the same distance from one another, and protrude a similar height from the ground as each other.
 21. A method for supporting headstones comprising the steps of: leveling each headstone; and digging a trench; installing a base material along the length and width of the trench; installing a leveling material along the length and width of the trench; placing each headstone in the leveling material; backfilling soil in the trench thereby covering the leveling material. 